George Birge brought industry friends and colleagues out to Live Oak on Demonbreun earlier this week to celebrate his second No. 1 hit at country radio, “Cowboy Songs.” The sunny afternoon soiree was hosted by ASCAP, along with SESAC.

The tune, co-written by Birge with Lalo Guzman, Matt McGinn and Michael Tyler, and co-produced by Guzman and McGinn, marks Birge’s second chart-topper in a year, following his breakout hit “Mind On You.”

ASCAP’s Emilia James emceed the event, welcoming team members of the writers to speak, including SESAC’s Shannan Hatch, SMACKSongs’ Sam Sarno, Young Guns Publishing’s Laura Alexander and RECORDS Nashville’s Josh Easler.

Each presenter highlighted the talent of the songwriting team and Birge’s relentless commitment to his craft.

Sarno celebrated Guzman, as “Cowboy Songs” marks his first No. 1. “Lalo, you have some of the best instincts I’ve ever seen—not just musically, but with people,” she said. “You are a key to the culture of SMACK, you make the environment a place people want to be.”

Alexander spoke about Tyler’s talent and heart for his family. “Michael, we’re so proud of where you’ve been and where you’re headed.”

Easler highlighted the RECORDS Nashville team, Birge’s manager Brendan Rich and team, and Birge himself.

“The game has changed for us a lot over the last couple of years, but what hasn’t changed is how hard George is working for this,” Easler said. “This guy does it the right way. He works his ass off, he plays the shows, he calls his family, and he goes to bed to get up and do it again the next day.”

When it came time for the writers to speak, Tyler kicked it off by thanking God, his family, and his team. He spoke about his gratitude for Jason Turner, who introduced him to Young Guns and CTM Outlander.

“Y’all have 100% revived my motivation and desire to write songs, and gave my creativity a brand-new chance in this town,” Tyler said. “It has changed my life.”

McGinn acknowledged his time away from Nashville following his 2023 arrest and mental health struggles, thanking his co-writers for inviting him to celebrate the No. 1.

Guzman spoke about the grind of working towards a hit as a songwriter and thanked those who stood by him.

“I want to thank my friends who have been a part of this journey,” he said. “It’s so important to have good friends who, even when you’re not doing good or you’re broke, are there to keep you going. Without good friends, I wouldn’t be here.”

When Birge took the mic, he recognized the many people who’ve played a role in his career.

“This is what wildest dreams are made of,” he said. “There are so many people in this room that I wouldn’t be here without.

“I’m a little bit deranged because all I can think about is what’s next—how big can we make this and how far can we go,” he summed. “I’m surrounded by lunatics that think the exact way that I do, and we’ve built a family that doesn’t take no for an answer. We go out there and win and do things that people tell us we can’t. Damn, it feels good to be sitting here with another No. 1.”

Whiskey Jam and Family Alliance in Music (FAM) are joining forces for the first-ever Juice Box Jam, a family-friendly edition of the long-running concert series, set for April 6 at 2 p.m. on SkyDeck at 5th & Broadway.

The event will feature performances from Charlie Worsham, Thelma & James, Jaden Michaels, Mickey Guyton, Daniel Tashian, Runaway June, Ryan Griffin, Alex Hall and Lanco, while supporting the work FAM is doing to create a more family-inclusive music industry.

In addition to live music, Juice Box Jam will offer a variety of activities for kids and families, including the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, a face painting station, a photobooth and more.

FAM is dedicated to transforming the music industry into a space where professional ambition and family life can thrive together. The organization has made significant progress in providing resources, building awareness and fostering a supportive community for music professionals balancing career and family responsibilities.

This marks a new chapter for Whiskey Jam, bringing its signature energy to a family-friendly setting for the first time. With live performances, interactive activities and a mission-driven focus, Juice Box Jam offers a fresh take on the beloved concert series—creating an afternoon of music, community and fun for all ages.

Universal Music Canada (UMC) has named Amanda Kingsland and Shawn Marino as co-heads of A&R for the label. As VP of A&R and VP of A&R Operations, respectively, Kingsland and Marino are tasked with leading the department to sign, develop and break the next generation of Canadian artists on the world stage.

UMC’s domestically signed acts continue to make significant impact in Canada and international markets. In the country space, breakout star Josh Ross continues to climb the charts in the US and beyond and rising act Owen Riegling completed his first headline tour. Other recent signings include award-winning songwriter Lindsay Ell, country act James Barker Band and plenty of artists across pop, R&B, dance music and more.

“Music – and the artists who create it – are our driving force. We focus our hustle, passion, care, creativity, and abundance of forward-thinking ideas on helping the artists we work with achieve personal, artistic, and commercial success. And at the centre of our mission to sign, develop, and break artists is our industry-leading A&R team,” says Julie Adam, President & CEO, Universal Music Canada.

“They are tastemakers and genre experts who scout, sign, and cultivate talent, bringing deep international connections, musicality, skills, and insights to a range of musical projects. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Amanda and Shawn lead A&R efforts out of Canada as we continue to support, elevate, and invest in artistic voices.”

Since joining UMC in 2021, Kingsland rebuilt UMC’s award-winning country music roster and reinvigorated A&R across multiple projects. In her new role, she’ll bring her passion, sharp ear, creative insights and big picture strategic thinking to UMC’s full artist roster. Marino, a 30-year industry veteran, continues to oversee 80A Studios, The Academy (UMC’s dynamic performance and event space), A&R operations and technology and leads A&R for artists creatively approaching ways to revitalize their vast catalogues, from The Tragically Hip to Anne Murray.

Kingsland and Marino will work in lockstep with UMC’s A&R team Kwaku Agyemang, Widney Bonfils, Natassha Cuachon-Cruz, Ivan Evidente, Morgan “MJ” James, Shirley Ichkhanian and Shannen Serrano, supported by UMC’s venue and studio team Don Kitchen, Lisa Lorenz and sound engineer Phil Hotz.

Reporting directly to Adam, Kingsland, Marino and their teams are actively scouting and signing new prospects, developing UMC’s existing roster and building new partnerships with artists, songwriters, producers, publishers and partners industry wide.

Rising pop-rock group The Band Light kicks off a new chapter with “All I Need,” their debut single out now via Red Van Records. The track marks their first release since signing with Red Van Records, Jonas Publishing Group, and Jonas Group Entertainment in late 2024—offering the first glimpse of a larger project set to arrive later this year.

Produced by multi-platinum writer, producer and mixer John Fields—known for his work with Switchfoot, Jonas Brothers, Jimmy Eat World and Demi Lovato—”All I Need” fuses timeless rock influences with fresh, modern energy.

Formed in Spring Hill, Tennessee, The Band Light—Konnor Dolberry (lead vocals), Jack Glenn (bass/vocals), Garrett Goodrich (lead guitar/vocals) and Trevor Young (drums/vocals)—came together through a high school music production class, quickly finding chemistry both on and off stage. Since then, they’ve racked up over a million streams on their independently released music and spent early 2024 on the road, opening for breakout acts Quarters of Change and New Hope Club.

Written backstage during a high school theater production by Young, “All I Need” channels the tension and introspection of growing up in a hyperconnected world, offering a personal yet universally relatable take on the relationship between youth and technology.

“Excited, determined, and grateful don’t begin to describe how I feel about this release,” says Young. “There’s a magic in this song that’s connected with our fans from day one. ‘All I Need’ was born out of a moment of real emotion and change, and we hope listeners feel that too. It represents a new chapter for us.”